Isabella X
by mrsnessieblack
Summary: Isabella X is an Angel experiment designed by the Volturi to destroy vampires. She discovers her fate and races to hide from the Volturi, efficiently landing in Forks, Washington. Takes place in Twilight through Eclipse. Full summary inside. Review!
1. Prologue: Twilight

_**Full Summary: Isabella X is a part of the Volturi's plot to create a new species to create an army. They are natural-born vampire hunters, with wings, sharp reflexes, and the instict to kill. This story will take place from Twilight to Eclipse. Bella is not as helpless as we thought...**_

_**AN: Hola! Bonjour! Hello! It's me, mrsnessieblack! This is my new fanfiction. Duh! Enjoy!**_

Prologue: Twilight

"Move your arms," one man said. He was a good man, with a sweet voice. He also looked like a god. I did as he said.

"Now move your legs," another man said. He looked like a god, too. Everyone in here, save a regular mortal girl, looked like gods. I followed my instructions.

"Good," the third man said. He was the gentlest, the most kind. His long black hair looked like a hood. "Now, move your wings."

Everything was simple. I've done it for nearly a month. But I didn't know the people's names yet, or even _my_ name. I flexed my long black wings.

Okay, here's what you missed throughout my whole one-month life. I woke up in a dark room. I was nameless. I was parentless. I wasn't even human.

The door to the room opened, and three men walked in. They told me that I was special. I wasn't human. They weren't either. They called me an angel. But that wasn't my name.

Basically, I've been living in this dark room for a while now. The men come to visit me every day. They tell me to do the same things, over and over again. I never really learned much.

There was one other like me. She had long brown hair, like mine, and large chocolate brown eyes. I don't know what color my eyes are. I hope they're the same as her's. Her's were beautiful.

Unfortunately, she passed by the only window to my room, and never lingered. I could never speak to her. I think my window is sound-proof. But I could still see. I didn't know then.

Every day, they would take her to the room alongside mine. I would watch as they took a needle and injected something into her. I watched as she fell to the ground, twitching, until she lie still. The men that took her into the room would shake their heads grimly and drag her by her arms into another room. I think they were reviving her, but I never stayed by the window to watch for her. But every day she would be perfectly fine, as if nothing ever happened the day before. In fact, she always looked a little curious.

Today was different, though. Today, they were letting me out of my room for the first time.

"I think she is ready, Aro," the light-haired god said, addressing the one with the long black hair. Aro nodded, clearly excited over something.

"Yes, Caius, I know. I can hardly wait. Marcus, will you tell Felix and Demitri that we will be testing Isabella X's durability?" Aro asked of the god with the wavy black hair. Marcus nodded and exited the room. Aro patted my arm.

"Isabella, I feel as though you're what we've been waiting for," he told me. "You are the tenth of your kind. We've been testing your reflexes for this moment."

"What is it that I have to do?"

"We will inject venom into you. It will hurt for a moment, but we believe you are capable of enduring it."

"How bad will the pain be?"

"If you wish it, I will have Alec erase your senses, so you will feel nothing."

"How bad-"

Marcus entered the room again, interrupting me.

"Demetri and Felix are ready," he whispered. Aro nodded and led me out of the room. I squinted at the sudden light outside. I was in the same room as the other girl. I watched her twitch, moaning, and then she was silent and still.

"Tis a pity," Aro whispered. "That is our ninetieth prototype. Felix, get rid of her. And come back quickly."

Felix nodded, and, along with Demetri, he dragged the prototype into the other room. I heard a gust of wind, and ten seconds later they came back, without the prototype. I saw a glimpse of the room before they closed the doors. The prototype was gone. I felt the heat from the room blow into this room. I gasped. They _killed_ her. It was never the same girl! And I was next.

"Calm down, Isabella," Aro mumured as he lifted the needle. I winced as he pricked my shoulder. I felt the pain as he injected the venom into my body. I smelled the blood.

It smelled like rust and salt. It made me nausious. I felt faint.

I slowly fell to the ground. I wasn't twitching, I was just fainting. But Aro sighed.

"I had hoped..." he whispered sadly. "Felix, Demetri, destroy her, and her files."

Felix began to drag me into the room. The smell of blood wasn't as strong as my fear. In that instant, my senses were hightened. I felt the metal grate underneath me begin to heat up. I calculated that I had exactly ten seconds.

Holding my breath, I jumped up. Felix and Demetri both yelled in surprise. I picked up the folder that was destined to burn with me and let out my wings.

I have never flown before in my one-month-old life. I knew it wouldn't be easy. But I had to survive somehow, right? I jumped into the air.

I was actually pretty high up; about a hundred feet. But the large, towering shaft I was stuck in was higher. I unfurled my wings and gave them a long, steady beat. I was going higher. And higher! Oh, I was flying! I laughed excitedly and beat my wings harder.

The sunlight was brilliant. I squinted and flew off, looking down below. Children were running to catch up with me. Adults were either too busy to notice or were gaping at the strange creature with wings. I went up higher, so I was hidden among the clouds. I was free.

Landing by the beach on an old dock, I flipped through the pages of my folder.

_Isabella X_, it read.

_A superhuman subject made to destroy vampires._

**_AN: How's that? I'm pretty amazed myself. I don't know why, but the idea was killing me. So I decided to write. Here ya go!_**


	2. First Sight

_**Chapter One**_

_A superhuman subject created to destroy vampires._

Intrigued, I continued to read. Vampires... Was that what Aro was?

_She is designed with a wingspan of twelve feet. When the wings are not in use, they will fold into her skin as if her back was smooth. No X-ray can detect them._

Hmm... Interesting. Twelve feet, too! I must be powerful.

_She is specifically designed to go on missions throughout the world to destroy any vampire that threatens to expose the vampire race. Venom shall not faze her. It will make her only more powerful._

So that explains why the venom had no affect on me like it did on the other Isabellas. I shuddered.

_She is half-way immortal. She can live forever but can still bleed. She needs oxygen to survive and food to eat._

Interesting.

_Her brain can take in up to fifteen thoughts per second. She can figure out hard problems in her head in less than half a minute. Her speed is also a key role in her missions. When she comes across a foreign language, she can process and learn the entire language in less than a minute._

So I can go to France and meet French people. Strange.

_If she comes across a hostile vampire, her first instinct is to protect herself above all else. She will also have the instinct to take down said vampire if they express open hostility. She will be able to battle the most experienced fighter and still win._

I'm not sure if I'm willing to go to a cage match with a vampire. But it would surely put all odds in my favor.

_She will put the mission above her emotions. She cannot love, hate, or feel remorse._

I felt insulted. Of course I could love!

_Isabella is purely a machine with a heartbeat. She will carry out orders and complete a task when told to do so._

Disgusted, I closed the folder. I looked behind me.

My wings had folded in. They were a part of my back now. It felt strange, having a bare back. I jumped off the dock and landed in the water. A boat was passing through. Time to test that speed.

...

The boat landed in New York. Everyone around me spoke in an unfamiliar tongue. A man came up to me in baggy clothing, wearing a cocky grin, asking me a question. I shook my head, uncomprehending. That was when the language snapped into my head. English.

"You wanna see my pad?" the man repeated.

"No, thanks," I murmured, walking away from him. He grabbed my arm and turned me around again. Three men flanked him.

"What was that, sweetheart?" he asked cruelly. He had a knife. Ohmygod, he had a knife.

I calculated my chances of getting away without a scratch quickly in my head. I chose the less gory plan and turned sharply, yanking my arm away.

_I have to get away from here_, I thought to myself. _Somewhere where no human will see me grow wings._

"Get her!" the man bellowed. I headed for an alleyway. I heard the men's feet storm after me.

"Now," I whispered to myself. I jumped and sprouted my wings, turning mid-flight to glare at the men. I decided to have a little fun.

"God is most displeased with you boys," I said in a cold voice. The men backed off a couple of steps. "He saw the evil in your minds and he will surely punish you. Consider this a warning."

I flew away from the city, then. This story was sure to make the headlines.

The birds all seemed to stay away from me. I flew next to some Canadian geese and they all watched me warily. They flew off without me.

I stopped at some small towns, managing to gather some food and an occasional shelter, to survive. I was shocked when I walked up to a total stranger and he nudged me away.

"I ain't got no money on me, vagrant," he muttered.

"I just want some food," I said. My stomach growled to second that opinion. My mind jolted, as if I was electrically shocked.

_Humans don't treat vagrants like people. They won't bother to give you anything. Try a policeman or a nun._

I found out quickly that policemen were out of the question. One of them tried forcing me into a homeless shelter. I broke free and ran into an alleyway, where I took to the skies.

I walked into a store on a Texas evening. The woman behind the counter shot me a dirty look when she saw my ratty and torn clothing. I looked at a packet of food hungrily. Without thinking, I snatched it and tried to open it.

"Excuse me!" The woman yelled. "You have to pay for that!"

"With what?" I yelled back at her.

"Money, vagrant!"

I was repeatedly whacked with a broom before I left the store. My brain shocked me again.

_Humans also worship green slips of paper they call money. You can call it a lot of different names. Cash, moolah, dough, bills, Benjamins..._

I sighed. I didn't _have_ money! I stepped on something on the way out. It was pink and sticky and wouldn't come off of my shoes. What is it? Once again, my brain zapped to life.

_Humans chew tree rubber, which is manufactured with artificial flavors like mint, cinnamon, lemon... etc. They can't swallow it, so they spit it out._

Ew. Let me say something. Humans are gross.

I flew every night so I wouldn't be seen, and every morning I either scrounged up some food or slept somewhere quiet. I tried to stay away from the hulking metal monsters humans called cars.

Funny thing, how I found out what they were. I was crossing a black part of the ground in California when somebody yelled, "Get out of the street, moron!"

I heard a loud honking noise and looked to where it was coming from. I huge red monster was going to attack me! My survival instincts kicked in, and I jumped up, doing a front flip before landing softly on my feet. I saw everyone staring at me. Was that unusual?

_Yes, stupid. Those monsters are called cars. People drive in them so they don't have to walk or run. They can kill you!_

Okay. Good to know. I huffed and thought sarcastically, _Anything else you might like to tell me about?_

Of course my brain was silent. I growled angrily. So I had to figure these things out on my own?

_Yes. It's how babies learn._

_I'm not a baby!_

_You're a month old._

_With the brain of an average eighteen-year-old!_

My brain was silent again. I sat in the corner of an alley and opened my folder, which I had tucked in safely underneath my jacket. A picture fell out.

Lifting it, I saw it was a crest. The crest of the Volturi. I lifted my arm, which I found one day to be a natural mark grafted into my skin. It looked exactly like the crest. I groaned. I'm _branded_. Like a _cow_. Moo.

I read through my files.

_Has the ability to breathe underwater for long periods of time; must come up for air after three hours._

Cool. Hey, look, Momma, I'm a fish!

_Is faster than a vampire in case she needs a quick escape._

I'm faster than a vampire? Well that's kind of interesting. How fast _are_ vampires?

_Must go through the line of duty and must never expose the vampire secret._

Well, well, well, Isabella. You've been naughty. "God is most displeased with you." I felt my wings twitch. I ached to fly.

_Her mind will teach her the cultures and rituals of the social life around her._

That explains my annoying zapping brain. Can it please teach me everything _now_?

_Knows how to drive automatically._

Drive those horrid things? No way!

_Can attract human attention. Isabella X must be careful in a mission. Human attraction can be risky._

That's just great. I'll be a freak show. I don't want humans to notice me!

I closed the folder and stared at my arm again. It was high up enough where everyone won't notice, and if they do, it'll look like a tattoo. I sighed and leaned my head against the wall. Tomorrow I'm going to Washington. Better yet, the rainy town of Forks. It was secluded and rainy, so nobody'll be outdoors often. I hope. I'd better come up with an alibi.

But for now, I'll just sleep.

...

It was definately cold when I got to Forks. I was hungry, too. I haven't eaten in a whole week. I was getting tired and weak. The rain was making my clothes and wings heavy. My eyes closed for a second, and I was falling.

I hit the asphalt with a thud, and I tried to look up. But I was too weak to even move.

Lights were approaching fast. I knew it was a car, and I weakly lifted my hands in front of my face. The car stopped. Somebody got out.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" a man asked. I groaned. "C'mon, I'll take you to the station."

I looked up into his eyes, and he gasped.

"On second thought, I'll take you home with me," he sighed. "You're in bad shape."

That was all I remembered, that and getting into his car, before everything went totally dark.

...

I woke up to the smell of food. I groaned and sat up. I was in a bed.

The room had an old computer, a rocking chair, pictures drawn by a five-year-old, and a large window. I sighed and wiped my face. Where was I?

I remembered as quickly as I thought the question. A kind man took me home. I got out of the bed and walked down the steps. I was clumsy. It was probably because I rarely walked. I always flew. And I just woke up.

"Good morning," the man said gruffly. He had on a jacket with a badge and a belt with a gun in it. My eyes widened. He was a policeman!

"Um, hi. You're not going to take me to a homeless shelter, are you?" I asked. The man chuckled.

"Not unless you want to," he said. "Here."

He slid a plate full of eggs towards me. I scarfed it down. He watched me with concern in his eyes.

"You been wandering around?" he asked.

"You can say that," I muttered, wiping my mouth with a napkin. I looked at him. He looked like a concerned father rather than a cop. I shook my head. "Why?"

"I was wondering why you were so hungry, that's all."

"No, I mean, why did you bring me home with you?"

The man sighed and looked away.

"It's a touchy subject," he said. "Get some decent clothes on. I'm gonna enroll you into high school. That is, if you want to."

"High school?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. You're a little too young to live on your own."

He has _no_ idea.

"Okay, thank you."

"What's your name, by the way?"

"Isabella X."

"X?"

"Ten. X stands for ten," I mumbled.

"Cool nickname, Bella," he laughed. "X."

"Thanks." Bella? Oh, well, it was cool enough. Better than _Isabella_.

"My name's Charlie. Charlie Swan. I'm the chief of police, here. Nobody will mess with you, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," I said. Would he really stand a chance against vampires?

As it turns out, I was already a big hit when school started. Boys wanted to walk me to my next classes. Girls would follow me around and giggle for no reason, acting like they knew me. I tried my best to stay away from everybody. Charlie had enrolled me as "Isabella Marie Swan." I don't know where he got the Marie from. When I asked him, he looked pained and went into the kitchen for more coffee.

"Why does he do that?" I asked my new friend, Jessica. Angela looked up from her plate and stared at me. Jessica only laughed.

"Ang, she's got to know sooner or later. I'm surprised the chief didn't tell you himself!" Jessica cackled.

"He had a daughter about your age," Angela said softly. "She died a year ago of leukemia. Her name was Marie. You resemble her a little bit. You have her eyes. And her curls. But Marie had black hair. Yours is brown."

"Poor Charlie," I murmured.

"It's okay, really. When he came in to pick you up, he looked more alive than ever," Jess said, smiling at me gently. "I guess he thinks his daughter is reaching out to him from beyond the grave."

Jess and her friend Lauren cackled again, while Angela stared at them. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes flared with anger. I looked around, trying to control my temper, until one family caught my eye.

They had pale skin and perfect complexions. Angela saw me staring at them and turned to look where I was staring.

"Oh, the Cullens," Angels whispered.

"Who're the Cullens?" I whispered back. One boy with tousled bronze hair snapped his head up to look at me. I blushed and looked down at the lonesome apple on my plate. I cupped it into my hands gently, trying to distract myself with the contrast between my albino skin and the perfect red skin of the fruit.

"Oh, they're Doctor Cullen's family," Jess laughed, as if it were an elaborate joke. "His wife can't have kids. They adopted them."

"The blondes are the twins, Rosalie and Jasper Hale," Angela whispered again. "The dark haired boy is Emmett. He's really good at PE. The small girl is Alice. And the boy sitting alone farthest from them is Edward."

I caught Edward stared and blushed again, staring at the apple in my hands.

"They're all BF/GF," Jess whispered, trying to catch me with juicy gossip. "I don't think it's legal, but they're, like, dating. Rosalie has Emmett, and Alice has Jasper. Edward can't find a girl here that's perfect enough for his tastes, though. Obviously he _has_ no taste."

I rolled my eyes. How many times did he reject her? Jess distracted herself by stabbing a leaf of lettuce repeatedly.

"They're not exactly related, except for the Hales. Other than that, Emmett, Edward, and Alice are related none whatsoever," Angela defended them. I was beginning to like Angela. She knew who to be loyal to. I could find a great friend in her.

The bell rang. Lunch was over. And I had biology next.

"Come to class with me, Bella," Angela said, pulling me away from Lauren and Jess.

"Um, okay. Which building are we in?" I asked, eager to get away from the gossip.

"C, I think. I'm not good at building names, just direction," Ang grinned. I smiled back. Yes, Angela was the perfect kind of girl I'd easily make friends with.

As it tured out, Angela's lab partner was waiting for her outside.

"Hey, that assignment's due today, Ang, do you have it?"

"Of course I have it," Angela scoffed, taking out some paper from her binder.

"Thanks. Oh, hello."

I waved at the girl and walked through the door. Mike Newton, a boy who I knew had an instant crush on me, looked at me with hopeful eyes. I immediately began looking for other available spots.

Oh, goody. The only other empty spot was right next to Edward Cullen. But seeing as I was desperate and I'd rather look like a fool in front of someone I didn't even know, rather than endure Mike's pickup lines, I headed for that seat.

I felt as though someone punched me in the stomach. My wings struggled to break free of my tight little jacket. I stared at Edward's cold, unyeilding eyes.

Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Isabella X is sitting right next to a vampire. _Oh, God..._

Edward glared at me. I tittered nervously and scooted away from him, trying more to keep my instincts from snapping than fearing him. My wings stopped trying to burst out of my back; instead, my hands grew increasingly hot. I felt my muscles build. Oh, great. My body thought I was unable to fly, so I'm turning into the She-Hulk. I crossed my arms and covered them with my hands, trying not to make my new muscles known.

Edward Cullen, meet Birdgirl. Birdgirl wants to tear you apart now, 'kay?

I tried to stay focused on the cells Mr. Mason was drawing on the board, but my instincts were pushing me toward Edward. Then Mr. Mason handed out fliers. Since Edward was on the outside, he had to pass my paper to me. Once his hand got close, I almost lost it. My wings pinched a little when they tried to burst out. I smiled nervously and took the paper. Edward's grip on the paper was firm. It ripped a little, and he let go forcefully, as if he struggled to control his hand. I saw it shaking as he pulled it back. I sighed to myself and chastisized myself for almost going beserk.

Edward suddenly got up, three seconds earlier than the bell, and walked swiftly through the door. I shuddered and pulled my stuff into my bag and around my shoulders. Mike walked toward me.

"Hey, Bella. Did you stab Cullen with a pencil, or what? He's never acted like that before," Mike said in a flurry.

"Um, no. He doesn't act like that around other people?"

"Well, I have his brother Jasper in English, and he flinches every time he's around a girl, but never once have I seen Edward Cullen cringe from a girl. An attractive girl, too!"

This time, _I_ was the one cringing. Now Mike's using this as a pickup opportunity? It was just so... Sick.

"Um, Mike?"

"Yeah?"

His face was hopeful. I'm guessing he was thinking I was going to ask him out or something. _In his dreams_.

"Lay off," I hissed. Mike paused, confused. I continued to stalk off for gym.

I tripped twice when I was running. Coach Clapp yelled at me to watch where I was going. I kept running, looking at the ground, all the while muttering random insults at everybody who laughed. Mike, who forgot entirely the message I hissed at him in the hallway, kept pace with me, snickering as he caught some of my useful vocabulary.

Gym finally ended, and I wandered toward the office to drop off my paperwork. The door closed a little too quickly.

I was stuck in a tiny little office, with a raging lunatic vampire demanding to have his schedule changed. I flinched when I realized that Biology was the main topic of Edward's concern.

I huffed under my breath and marched over to the desk, forcing a smile and slapping my paperwork on the counter. In the corner of my eye, I saw Edward's fist tighten, and his breath suddenly stop as he turned to glare at me. I turned to face him and glared right back. Edward abruptly snapped his head to look sharply at poor Mrs. Cope, who seemed a bit flustered at Edward's previous wild demands and my sudden appearance.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Cope, but I can see that task is impossible. I'll just have to endure it, then."

With another crazed glare at me, he left in a hurry, rushing out of the door. Was it possible for him to still be walking at this time?

"How was your day, dear?" Mrs. Cope managed after staring at the door for almost a minute.

"Fine," I lied, managing another weak smile.

When I got to my truck, unexplained tears began to form. I cried the whole way home.


	3. Open Book

**__****Chapter 2**

It was impossible to say, "Everything went great from then on," because everything was _not_ great.

What were the odds that a _vampire hunter_ would end up going to the same school that hosts freakin' _vampires_? And then I remembered what Jess said. "Dr. Cullen."

Great, the vampire coven leader is running our hospitals! I cringed at the thought of what he'd do if a little girl came in with a cut or a scrape. I had nightmares thinking about it.

Another thing was that I was digging into a box this morning.

It was hard to reach, on the top shelf. I sighed and closed the curtains of my window and shut the door. I flew up to reach the shelf, and took down the box.

Inside were baby pictures of a little girl, a twelve-year-old girl with braces, and a seventeen-year-old in a prom dress. She looked exactly like me. There was a picture with her and Charlie at the way bottom of the box, along with a dusty prom dress and a stuffed bear.

The door opened. I blushed at being caught red-handed, but Charlie didn't notice. He looked sadly at the box and sighed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Marie. I guess I was selfish enough to want to replace her with you," Charlie said quietly.

"Charlie, I'm so sorry," I mumbled. I looked at the picture of Charlie and Marie again.

Charlie's smile in the picture was forced, like he knew what was happening to his daughter. It seemed to be the most recent picture, and even still, it was old.

"She died shortly after going to prom," Charlie said. "I was going to tell her no, but she said that she only has one life, and that one experience will be missing if she died without it. Her mom bought that dress. Renee left after Marie died. It was too much for her here..."

"I sort of wish I had a father like yours," I sighed, looking at anything but the picture.

"I'm happy to take you in," Charlie suggested.

"Thank you."

Charlie blushed, and he looked up at the closed window as he spoke.

"Um, go get ready. It's time for school."

"Okay, Charlie."

The truck was waiting for me outside by the time I was dressed and fed. I groaned quietly to myself before sliding into the driver's seat and sticking the key into the ignition.

What happened next was purely instinctual.

I slid out of the driveway and drove forward, heading in the exact path of the school as if I'd been driving for years. I was shocked to find that this truck was very comfortable and roomy. It was nothing like the cramped space of Charlie's cruiser, which made me feel like I was in a cage. I also found an old picture wedged, forgotten, in between the seat cushions.

It was a picture of a family. There were Native American twin girls my age, a teen boy, and an aging man in a wheelchair. They looked happy. The boy's grin was especially distinct. Were they related?

I stored the picture in my backpack for later and entered the school-yard.

Scanning the parking lot, I didn't see any pale, beautiful faces. Yet. I looked especially for Edward Cullen.

Part of me wanted to cower away, and pretend the hostile vampire beside me was nothing but smoke. Another part of me wanted to confront him, and show him exactly who he was messing with. It was hard to tell for sure which part of me had the upper-hand. I recieved curious looks from the other students, but I sent them death glares and they scurried away.

There it was. The ostentatious silver Volvo. I saw four pale figures swiftly slide out.

Wait- four? Where was the fifth? I saw two blondes and two brunettes, but where was the redhead? Where was Edward Cullen?

Three vampires glared at me as they passed. Only one was calm, and strangely excited at upon passing me by. That one was Alice Cullen.

Alice smiled softly and waved behind her siblings' backs. I automatically waved back, but lowered my hand quickly again. Why was I just waving to a vampire?

Jasper turned slightly and pulled Alice by the arm, bringing her close. Their heads turned again. Jasper's face was incredulous and angry, but all of that melted away when Alice's lips moved. He smiled apologetically at me and turned his head away.

What was it that Alice had said? What made Jasper's frustration melt away like that? I was so confused, my mind sent me half-answers.

"Bella!" Mike said, pulling me away from my train of thought. I blinked and turned to face him.

"Yeah?" I asked breathlessly. Mike must have thought my breathlessness was a plus, and hurried to ask me out- _again_.

"Um, _I was wondering if you could go to the movies with me_?" Mike rushed, slipping on his words. (**_AN: BTW, it's italicized because I can't make the sentence one whole word to represent talking fast._**)

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked.

"Movie. Me. Want to?"

Just then, Jessica appeared and gave me a curious look.

"Isabella Swan: The first girl to _ever_ pull a response out of Edward Cullen! What happened yesterday?" Jess asked. Mike's face fell. I reminded myself to laugh later.

"Um, he acted as though I were something he should destroy and then left," I explained, avoiding the question. Jess frowned. Clearly, this was not the answer she expected.

"Well, do you think he's incredibly hot?" Jess began again.

"I don't think he's incredibly hot. It's natural, not done on purpose," I growled, stalking into the auditorium. Jess shot me a confused look. I knew that deep inside, the girl in me was screaming agreements. _Yes! He's gorgeous! Drop-dead sexy! I wish I could go out with him!_

"Bella!"

"Hey, Ang."

"What was with Cullen? Did he hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine. I don't know about _him_ though..."

"Aw, let him suffer. He shouldn't glare at somebody like that."

I shrugged and went to English.

I paused.

Sitting in my partner's (Mike's) seat was Alice. She beamed and waved me forward, pointing excitedly at my seat. I shot her my crooked eye and went to sit next to Kendal Ingers, a boy with oily skin and messy brown hair. Alice frowned, and got up.

"Excuse me, Kendal, but would you mind switching with me?" Alice's soprano voice rang. Kendal smiled, giving us a full view of his braces. His eyes fluttered.

Was he trying to flirt?

I followed his eyeline and shuddered. I felt sorry for poor Alice.

"Suuuuure..." Kendal breathed, getting up. He shifted his body to "accidentally" bump Alice, but in a quick movement that almost blew her cover, Alice was to the side, and Kendal was falling on his face. The rest of the class laughed.

"Why did you decide to sit next to the perv instead of me?" Alice pouted when Kendal was seated.

"Because I don't trust you Cullens," I muttered.

"You can trust me! I already foresaw you being my best friend!"

I gaped at her. Alice's expression turned sheepish.

"Oops, I probably shouldn't have said that."

"Foresaw? You mean like, the future?"

"Yeah... I'm... I'm sort of psychic."

Oh, great. A potentially dangerous vampire, a psychic vampire... What next? A vampire that can read minds? (**_AN: Teehee, may-be!_**)

"Just leave me alone, Alice," I groaned. Alice stuck out her bottom lip, her eyes growing rounder and rounder by the second.

"But Bella-"

"What?"

"I already planned our first shopping trip!"

_Christ_.

"Alice, don't go near me, please," I groaned.

"No, Bella, I saw us as best friends and I'm gonna use you as a Barbie and you're gonna fit in and you're gonna be happy and you'll make Charlie happy and me happy and the school happy and Mike sad and most of my family will like you and you're with-"

Alice's mouth, which had been opening and closing at the speed of light, suddenly clamped shut. I stared at her.

"Who am I going to be with?" I asked calmly.

"Somebody," Alice spat out, trying to busy herself with her notes.

Something was wrong. Soething that Alice didn't want me to know. Why not?

The days passed slowly- too slow for me.

On the plus side, I sat at an empty desk in biology and lived without Edward Cullen's angry glare.

On the down side, I sat at an empty desk in biology and lived without Edward Cullen.

I made sure to check every morning for Edward Cullen to come out of the Volvo. Every morning, I got three welcome sets of topaz eyes headed my way and one set of eyes that did not belong to Edward glaring at me.

After I finally began to trust that Edward wouldn't show up, guess what?

I entered biology smiling as I laughed at a joke Angela recited. The smile wiped away instantly when I saw the seat next to mine was no longer empty.

Edward Cullen watched me as I cautiously walked over and sat down. I watched him back warily.

"I see you're waiting for me to act rude again," he stated. I felt my ears ring when I heard his heavenly voice.

_No! Bad Isabella! No crushing on the immortal enemy!_

I nodded grimly and turned to my work. Edward's hand reached out, pushing my folder down to capture my attention.

"I'm genuinely sorry for my actions, Bella," he whispered. I stared at him in shock.

I realized his eyes were different. They weren't black. They were a light shade of honey gold. It confused me.

When Aro and the rest of the Volturi were fed, their eyes were red. Why were the Cullens' eyes topaz? What made them any different than a normal vampire?

I realized Edward was waiting for a response and I stopped staring into his eyes, blushing and shifting my folder nervously. Why was I acting like a giggly schoolgirl in love? I didn't have a crush on a vampire, do I? I wasn't even supposed to love! I wasn't "made for love," as my information folder kindly put it.

"Um, no, it's fine. I guess I wasn't one-hundred percent either."

Edward's sudden laugh startled the whole classroom, causing everyone to look in our direction. I donned the look of a tomato and ducked my head down, reading frantically my notes from yesterday. It took me a moment to realize I was staring at the exact same word for about a minute.

"The." Way to feel stupid, Bella.

"You're the one who suffers my wrath and you say you weren't your hundred-percent best?" Edward roared. If there is no brighter red than infra red, I think I invented a new shade. I call it "Bella Red."

"Well, if I were my hundred percent best the other day, I would've told you to stop glaring at me like an animal, and that you mother should've knocked some manners into that thick skull of yours when she had the chance," I growled at him. Edward's face became sober instantly.

"You're really like that?" he asked.

"Only when something really pisses me off," I grumbled back.

"Well Bella, you shouldn't piss _me_ off. There's no telling what I'd do," he whispered quietly.

"Bite me," I grumbled. _That _was sure to set him off.

To my surprise, he didn't do anything but grimace and clench his fists. I'm pretty sure that if he weren't in a classroom full of humans, he would do just that. I was happy about it, too. It would give me a chance to unravel my wings and have a good, even fight. Maybe I'd even get a kick out of scaring the living crap out of the big bad vampire.

I glanced over at him with a slightly amused expression on my face. My expression turned to confusion when I saw him staring at me.

He wasn't staring at me as if he wanted to kill me. Instead, his stare was simply curiosity and dissapointment. What was he expecting?

"What are you staring at?" I demanded, feeling self-conscious. Edward blinked and looked away abruptly.

"Nothing," he whispered, almost to himself. "I just thought I could get a read on you."

"You must be a good reader, then," I mumbled.

"Somethimes," Edward teased.

"All right, reader, what did you get from me?" I asked, setting my head in my hands. Oh, my God, am I flirting?

Edward frowned. He stared at me in concentration.

"You're unhappy here," he said finally.

"Thanks, Sherlock. Now, about that reading-?"

"You miss your home."

"Hardly," I scoffed. "What kind of reader are you?"

"Usually a correct one," Edward grumbled. "Why don't you miss home?"

"Because I have no home. Well, my last home was in Italy. I ran away."

Edward looked at me in complete surprise and fear. He struggled to hide it when he spoke again.

"Isn't Italy one of the most romantic places in the world? Why would a girl like you trade a place like that for a dreary town here?"

"My experiences in Italy weren't exactly that romantic," I said truthfully.

"I don't belive that," he scoffed.

"Try getting close to a few members of the opposite sex and then narrowly escape with your life."

"They tried to kill you?"

"Yup. I got out."

Edward looked outraged. I knew the frustration wasn't on me because my instincts didn't flare up like they did last week.

"How'd you get away?" he asked again, trying to calm himself.

"I ran. Then I flew out here. I was all over the place before Charlie offered me a home."

"Really? You never found a place of your liking all over America?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" I whispered. Edward nodded.

"I don't really like it here, either."

"Why not?"

"First of all, it rains. Second, there's too many trees. I like the feeling of open space and freedom. And third, I have a biology lab partner that may or may not be a psycho killer."

Edward chuckled.

"Oh, look, we have a substitute," Edward murmured, breaking the conversation. In my peripheral vision, I saw Edward take advantage of the distraction and scoot away, clenching his fist.

"Sorry I'm late, class," the petite young lady said. The rest of the class murmured half-hearted encouragements and went on with their lives.

"If you were homeless, how did you fly here?"

Crap.

"I, um, I was offered a ride in a private plane by a flirty pilot," I mumbled.

"I don't believe that," Edward murmured.

"It's true."

Edward stayed silent for a while.

"You're an orphan, too?"

"Yeah. I'm not proud of it, so don't ask again."

"Sorry. I just never met another orphan that isn't adopted into my family."

My expression softened some. I guess I felt guilty for pretending to be human. Or maybe a really did feel bad for the vampire. Maybe he was good.

"I'm sorry," I said honestly. Edward smiled.

"It's nothing. I'm sure you suffered more than I did."

"No. My dad was already dead or never in my mothers' life to begin with, and my mother died shortly after giving birth to me. I never knew who my parents were."

"My parents died of a disease when I was seven." I thought I heard him mumble "teen" under his breath, to low for a human to hear. I gave him that.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. They told me to live without mourning the past."

"They were wise."

The bell rang, and in my hurry to pick up my stuff a ton of papers fell out of my school bag. I groaned and picked them up. A set of hands helped me.

These hands were not pale. Nor were they rock-solid and cold as ice. It was Mike Newton. Edward was already making his way out the door. Jerk.

After gym- where I fell down twice and once brought Mike down with me- I grumbled to myself and started for my truck.

"Bella!" Alice's tinkling voice yelled. I heard her catch up with me, matching her pace with mine.

"Hey, Alice," I said non-committally. Alice wrapped me up in a hug and whispered in my ear.

"Wear a sports' bra tonight."

She handed me a paper shopping bag. Inside were numerous sports' bras. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Um, thanks, Alice. Did you foresee me going for a jog down the beach?"

"No, silly it's for when you're... exercising your _whole_ body."

Alice lifted her arms and flapped her hands to imitate wings. My eyes widened and I dropped the bag. My mouth popped open and closed.

"I-I... You... I..." I stammered.

"It's okay, I won't tell anybody, not even my nosy brothers."

"You... I-I..."

"Thank me later. I have to go," Alice waved and danced all the way to the end of the parking lot, where Edward was waiting with his Volvo.

I went into my truck in a daze. I almost hit somebody's Toyota on the way out.

All the way from across the parking lot, I saw Edward Cullen and Alice Cullen laughing.

**_AN: I graduated today! OMG! My summer vacation has officially begun._**

**_Thanks to my family and BFFs for making my middle school life so worthwhile! Love y'all!_**

**_I also love my fans! You guys love my stories so much, you drive me to think about what happens next at school! My teacher thinks I spaced out way too much!_**

**_It was sooooo worth it, though!_**

**_THANK YOU!_**


	4. Phenomenon

**__****AN: Right now, I have my Taylor Swift CD on shuffle mode... I love Taylor. She's awesome!**

**_No hating country music!_**

**__****Chapter 3**

It was official. Somebody- even though it was a future-seeing vampire- knew my secret. And although I trusted her to try not to spill the beans, how long did I have until something slipped out?

I tried on one of the sports' bras. It really wasn't uncomfortable at all, and it gave me space around my shoulder blades so my wings could come out without ripping the bra.

I put on the rest of my clothes and left the house, telling Charlie I was "out for a walk."

Soon, I was too far from the house for Charlie to follow. It was too dark for me to see, so I felt my way to a tree and jumped, grabbing a random branch and hoisting myself up. My nocturnal instincts kicked in and I scanned the forest.

I jumped off the tree branch and spread my wings. The shirt and jacket ripped clean off. I was thankful that my bra was still on.

I made sure to thank Alice in the morning. But for now, I just enjoyed the feel of my wings being spread out and feeling the wind brush along the glossy black feathers. I dipped and dived, whooping, trying to enjoy the rush of falling to the ground and lifting up at the last second.

I was out for a few hours. I began to fly back home.

_Home_. Was that what Charlie's house was to me now? Would I sink so low as to nest in his house? Nest. Haha, bird humor.

I found out I could cook a little while later. It was purely by instinct that I went into the kitchen and boiled some eggs, making pancakes while I waited. Right in the middle of my third or fourth bite, I just realized that I cooked something.

Charlie entered the room, sniffing.

"You cook?" he asked, putting on his jacket and gun belt.

"Yeah," I mumbled. It surprised me, too, Charlie, it surprised me, too.

"You better get ready, school starts in half an hour."

I snapped my head up to look at the clock. Damn, I need to take a shower!

"Charlie, turn off the burner in five minutes, okay?" I yelled, racing up the stairs. I tripped on the last step and slipped on the rug in front of the bathroom. I turned on the water and tore off my clothes. I "tsk"ed when I accidentally ripped the sports' bra.

I took a five-minute shower and tied my dripping hair in a ponytail, quickly putting on a pink sweater and khaki pants.

Charlie had already left by the time I was done. The eggs were sitting in the water. I snatched them out, too quickly to burn my hand, and stuck them in a plastic bag. I stuffed them in my backpack and ran outside. I slipped, once again, and fell face-first into the snow.

I made use of my multi-lingual mind and swore in Italian and English. I added a little Portugese, too, because the captain of the ship spoke it over the loudspeakers of the cargo ship I stowed away on to get here.

I was surprised that I didn't have to calculate how to drive today, what with all the ice and snow making the road slippery. I made it to school just in time. There were a couple of minutes left before the bell rings. I inspected the tires.

I noticed the chains on the truck. Thanks, Charlie! The bell rang, so I stood up straight.

My world suddenly turned to slo-mo. Somebody was racing to school, with no chains on his van's tires. Edward Cullen was yelling for me from across the parking lot, unable to get to me without revealing himself. The van started to spin towards me.

I held my breath. I got ready to jump out of the way at the exact right time, so _my_ secret wasn't exposed. My wings began to shred my first layer of tops. Thank goodness I put on another sports' bra.

I heard quick feet reaching me, and my wings stopped instinctively. I saw a flash of white, felt a breath cooler than the snow surrounding us.

Edward. What was he doing? Stupid vampire!

While he pushed me, I pulled him. We tumbled away from the crash site. I winced at the impact of my head on the asphalt and the sound of Tyler's van crunching into my truck.

Edward sitting up on the pavement and was breathing heavily. I could tell he was excited, but not amused by what just happened. I was downright pissed. I lifted my head and slammed my fist on the ice, cracking it a little.

"Dammit, Cullen, are you stupid, or something?" I hissed at him.

"I saved you!" he protested. "I pulled you away!"

"Correction: _I_ pulled you away. **You** _pushed_ me!"

"No, I was standing with you, Bella, and I pulled you away."

I could see the stubborness in his eyes. He was trying to drill the story into my head. Lucky for him, I wouldn't give away his secret even if I were a normal human. I tightened my jaw.

"No, I could see you from across the parking lot. I can handle myself fine!"

"Oh, that part is obvious, since you're to one who was holding her breath and staring at the van, and hit her head when she _supposedly_ saved herself!"

I had to give it to the vampire. He had a point. I rubbed my head, and he smirked humorlessly in triumph.

"Someone call an ambulance!" somebody yelled. The humans had finally got over the shock and ran for us.

"Bella!" Mike yelled, trying to pull the van away from the truck frantically. Edward and I had to suppress our laughter.

"I'm right here, Mike..." I snickered. Mike's head snapped up.

"Bella!" he yelled, running over and hugging me tightly. I'm sure God was getting a kick out of this.

"Tyler!" Lauren screamed. "Call an ambulance! Bella's truck killed him!"

Oh, great, now it was _my_ fault. Edward got up and inspected Tyler.

"He's still breathing," Edward said, smirking when Lauren wasn't looking. "He's just in shock."

I looked at Tyler. His eyes were wide open, with a gash on his forehead. The windows were still down, so neither Edward or I could smell the blood. His hands were gripping the steering wheel.

The ambulance came to take Tyler, Edward, and me to the hospital. Edward and I didn't have to wear a neck brace, but after Edward smiled at the female nurse, the embarrassing white thing was around my neck. I glared at him, which he effectively dodged by looking at the cruiser that just pulled up.

"Bella!"

"Charlie?"

Charlie ran up and knelt down beside me.

"Oh, God, is something wrong with your neck? Can you walk? How many fingers am I holding up?"

In the background, I could swear I saw Edward trying not to laugh. I tried not to growl at him. My head was already healed.

On the way to the hospital, I calmed down Tyler, who finally woke from his shock and tried to appologize.

"Tyler, it's fine. It's _you_ I'm worried about."

"Bella, please, I almost hit you. Stop being modest. I'm sorry!"

"No, Tyler. I mean that gash looks pretty deep."

"Bella, worry about yourself."

_Please, Lord, put me out of my misery._ I heard Edward's chuckle from the front seat of the ambulance.

"Shut up, Cullen, I can hear you!" I yelled.

"Ma'am, no yelling in the ambulance," the flirty nurse half-responsible for the neck brace scolded me. I guessed she was just defending Edward instead of enforcing the rules. Edward's chuckled became more pronounced. I bit my tongue to stop myself from screaming insults at him.

In the emergency room, I took off the brace when nobody was looking and chucked it into a garbage can across the room. Nobody but Tyler noticed.

He snickered.

"Lucky, I wish I could throw like that. Does the basketball team know you exist?" he joked.

"I won't be much with the running part of the game," I admitted honestly.

"Oh, trust me, I know. Mike is my best friend."

MIKE! Ooh, I'm gonna kill him...

The doors opened to reaveal a pale, flawless face. He had blond hair and golden eyes. His walk was too perfect to be human. So this was Dr. Cullen.

Edward was trailing behind him, shooting me an amused expression before it turned to puzzlement at the unexplained disappearance of the stupid neck brace. His eyes shot to the trash can. It was my turn to shoot him an amused expression.

"Good morning, Bella," Dr. Cullen smiled. He looked at the clipboard at the foot of the bed I was set on. Of course, I wasn't strapped to anything, so I sat Indian-style at the foot of the gurney.

"Dr. Cullen," I faked a smile. He noticed, and sent a glance at Edward, who was grinning.

"Edward says you hit your head hard enough to hallucinate, but the X-rays came out negative," Dr. Cullen explained. I sent a triumphant smirk in Edward's direction.

"Well, Dr. Cullen, I believe Edward is misinformed. I feel perfectly fine, and I know a lot."

Both Dr. Cullen and Edward shared a grimace for a brief second before controlling their expressions.

"Are we done here?" I asked a bit rudely, jumping off the gurney. I tripped, Edward catching me and setting me upright. Dr. Cullen sent me a worried look.

"Oh, relax, I'm not having a seizure, Doc," I laughed. Then I glared at Edward. "But _you_... I need a word with you."

Edward glared at me and followed me out of the room.

"What is it?" he snapped as soon as we were out of even _Carlisle_'s hearing range. Jeez, and I thought _I_ was rude.

"I need to know why you feel the need to drill your idiotic story in my head," I explained, crossing my arms and returning his glare.

"Because it is the truth," Edward growled.

"Oh, please," I scoffed. "We _both_ know what really happened. Lucky for you, I have no plans on telling anybody!"

A startled expression barely had time to form before Edward scowled again.

"If you knew the damn truth already, why are you bothering me?" he hissed.

"Because I want to drill it in that thick skull of yours that I am not the kind of girl you can mess with. I have something I can hold against you, and, believe me, I will use it if I have to!"

"Nobody will believe you."

"Oh, trust me, I think I know a way to get them to believe me."

"Oh, really? Enlighten me."

"It's for human eyes only," I growled. A smirk replaced half of the scowl that used to contort his face.

"You don't know, do you?"

"I know what I am going to do, and trust me, it's not going to be pretty on my end of the deal, either."

I could see the headlines now... _Birdgirl Attacks Innocent Student: Claims Vampires Exist_

I grimaced. The newspapers, then the crowds of people trying to take my picture, the government on my tail feathers, and then the Volturi coming to pick me up and possibly destroying the Cullen family as well. I hoped Alice could foresee all that so she could get her crazy, psychic vampire butt out of Washington. I kind of liked her.

"Trust me, Edward, I could make your life hell," I warned.

"That's a little messed up, don't you think?"

"Oh, trust me, until you step in my shoes, you don't know the meaning of 'messed up.'"

We continued to glare at each other until somebody- a human- entered the once-empty hallway.

"There you are, Bella!" Charlie huffed, running towards us. I broke Edward's and my staredown to look at the Chief.

"Hey, Charlie," I said half-heartedly.

"Thank God you're all right. You should thank Edward here for saving you."

I froze, stiffly turning my head to glare at him. Edward pretented to be distracted by something outside to window.

"Thank. You," I said slowly, gritting my teeth. I plastered on a snarling smile. Edward smirked, still looking outside.

Eventually, after getting Charlie to at least _consider_ my being healthy enough to sleep without waking me up every hour, we were driving home.

And I dreamt of nothing but my confusing, stubborn, and vampiric Biology lab partner, Edward Cullen, that night.

**_AN: I'm sure you guys can see where I had a problem. In Stephanie Meyer's Twilight, Bella had no idea what Edward was. Isabella X knows, so I tried to draw the conversation away from asking how Edward saved her to them just bickering about who's right and who's wrong. I love their bickering. It makes Edward look imperfect._**

**_And just so any of you who don't know me know, I am not Team Edward and would never consider being on Team Switzerland. I am Team Jacob, all the way!_**


	5. Invitations

**__****Chapter 4**

It was dark. I looked around me, but everywhere I looked, nothingness stared back. I couldn't see my own hands. I tried to fly away, but I couldn't feel my wings.

What kind of sick dream was this?

And then, my eyes caught onto a patch of light. I stared.

It wasn't a patch of light. It was pale skin. It was Edward.

"Edward, I'm scared," I blurted out. Edward's eyes were as black as my dream. He stared at me coldly and walked away.

"No, Edward, don't leave me," I pleaded. His retreating figure became smaller in the distance. I tried to run. I forced myself to dream up wings, but when I looked at them, they were dented and broken. I couldn't use them.

"Edward!" I screamed. I tried to fly.

My wings felt like they were being crushed by some unseen force. I struggled to stay in the air.

Finally, I felt the sensation of falling. I couldn't see the ground- it was so dark-, so I closed my eyes and waited for the impact.

Light burst through my eyes and I found myself on the floor, my blanket twisted around my body. Oh. So _that_ held my wings down.

I sat up, groaning, and looked at my clock. It was six in the morning.

...

It took a whole month for the excitement to die down. The unfortunate part was that I suffered both halves of the ordeal. Nobody turned to bother Edward.

Tyler insisted that he drove me every day to school, but thanks to my complains to Charlie, the chief eventually said he'll arrest Tyler again if Tyler kept on coming back on his property.

Mike sat next to me every day, asking me about how I was feeling. He was worried that I might start dating Edward. If only he knew that Edward and I dating would be like putting a cat and dog in a _very_ small room together.

My lab partner ignored me. He was getting to be worse than that first day, when all he would do was send death glares at me. At least _that_ was contact. He was gaining the personality of a corpse (no pun intended).

Let's say I'd rather jump hurdles a thousand times in gym than have this type of silence between us. It was unnerving.

Alice was talkative, as usual, but I only saw her in English, because after, before, and during school, Edward pulled her away from me. It was funny, because he acted like he was the leader- the eldest. I sort of expected the big and brawny Emmett to intervene and take command.

"Well, my brother is just confused right now. Jazzy says so."

"What, can Jasper read his mind?"

Alice giggled, like there was some kind of joke in my statement.

"No... He's an empath. He can control emotions and read them. Like if he stands next a romantic couple, immediately he feels loved. Or lusty. It depends on the kind of couple. And then he can send hatred their way and they'll be exes in two seconds flat."

"Oh, I hope he doesn't do that!" I gasped.

"No, he doesn't. And if he did, either Rose, Esme, or I'll rip his head off."

I sighed with relief. Jasper? He's definitely another vampire that piqued my interest.

"Does everyone in your family have special powers?" I asked warily.

"_That_ you'll have to find out by yourself."

"You're just as bad as my voice," I mumbled. Alice shot me a curious look.

That reminded me. My head hasn't been zapping me with new info.

_Hello? Isabella's brain? Anybody?_

Nothing happened, so I sighed in defeat.

"Alice, you know my secret, right?"

Alice smiled, and nodded.

"Do you know everything?"

Alice frowned before answering.

"Not really. I know that you have jet black wings and can fly. I know that you distance yourself away from my family, save me, as much as possible. Oh, and you noticed that Edward is a little... fast."

I snorted at her attempt to hide the secret.

"That's it?"

"Yep."

"Well, what if I told you..."

I leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"...that I believe in vampires?"

Alice stiffened. She stared at me in shock. I smiled and raised my right hand.

"Secret's safe with me," I promised. "Just keep it a secret between us, okay? I don't want your biggest brother tackling me. Or I'll send him flying through the wall."

Alice nodded, still dazed. I frowned and watched her occasionally while English class went on, ignorant of out conversation in the back. Alice tapped my shoulder. I looked up.

"You know about us?" she hissed.

"Yeah. I can't help knowing. I was made to destroy your kind. But I won't hurt you."

"Then you know about our... _leaders_?"

"I have to. Otherwise I'm stupid. Aro's my somewhat 'father'."

Alice gasped.

"Did we do anything wrong? Is Demitri tracking your every move?"

"No, I just escaped here and happened to come across a horde of vampires. Some luck."

"Why would you escape?"

I sighed.

"They were testing about a hundred Isabellas before me. Every day, they would bring one out and inject vampire venom into her. She would twitch and moan, and then eventually die. Or they're still alive and die seconds later."

"How horrible!"

"They get placed in a burner. Then there is no trace of the defective subject. I was placed in there, too."

"You survived the venom?"

"I'm not even sure if they gave me enough to eat at my blood," I explained. "But I smelled blood and fainted. They thought I was defective, and in the burner I went! I escaped, and came here on a cargo ship."

Alice looked at me with pity.

"I wear long sleeves to hide this," I added, pulling my sleeve up to show the Volturi crest. Alice inspected it closely.

"No I have no reason to doubt your story," she whispered. "That birthmark is exactly the same as the crest!"

"Don't tell anybody, please?"

"Can I tell Jazzy?"

"Nobody."

"Okay. But you'll have to tell them eventually," Alice warned me.

"Why should I?"

"Oops. Never mind."

"Tell me!"

"No! Oh, and Mike Newton will ask you to the dance in biology today... Or should I say he's going to ask you to ask him? He told Jessica Stanley he'll think about it, but really he's hoping to get you to go out with him."

This distracted me.

"Mike Newton is an idiot."

"Yes he is. One important rule you must always follow: Do _not_ politely decline a girl's invitation and go out with her friend. It's a recipe for disaster."

"Most definitely. Well, disaster in my case."

Alice tried to hide her giggle.

At lunch, I wasn't surprised when Jessica ignored me and Mike, and talked to Tyler and Eric instead. Lauren was watching us very closely. I was sure that if Mike even sneezed in my direction, she'll spread a rumor around saying that Mike and I were a couple. I could see the gears working overdrive as she came up with a plan.

It might just be my imagination, but I thought I saw Edward turn his head in my direction. I looked up, but the sneaky vampire had already turned his head back to his sister, who was animatedly talking to the whole family. I felt afraid for a moment. What if Alice was telling them everything? What if Edward looked to check if I was dangerous? Will he demand information from me? Will he try to kill me because of my relation to the Volturi?

I shook my head and looked down, stabbing a piece of lunchmeat and popping it into my mouth.

"Bella?" Angela whispered, nudging me.

"Yeah?" I asked out loud, shaken from my reverie. Everyone looked at me strangely. They were all standing up with their backpacks slung over their shoulders.

"It's time for biology," she said quietly, blushing at the sudden attention.

"Oh, then let's go."

I quietly sat in my seat, trying my best to ignore the lethargic vampire in the other seat. Mike strolled over.

"Hey, Bella," he said cheerfully.

"Hi, Mike." The way I said his name, you could've sworn I was using it like a cuss word. Mike didn't notice, however, and proceeded to make the next minute of my life as embarrassing as possible.

"Will you go to the dance with me?"

"It's girls' choice," I said simply. I heard a boy in the back say, "Burn."

"I know, but... Will you ask me?"

"What about Jess?"

"Well, she asked me-"

"Wonderful!" I said, giving him a toothy smile that was not short of just baring my teeth. "You two will have a great time."

"She asked me, but I told her I'd think about it, because I was hoping you'd ask me."

My fake smile turned into just me baring my teeth. I closed my lips and eyes, trying my best to smile again.

"I'm sorry, Mike, but I'll be on a trip to Seattle that weekend."

"Can't you go on some other weekend?"

"Nope. I'm sure Jessica will be _very_ happy to hear you accepted her invitation," I hinted. Luckily, unlike all the other hints I throw at Mike on a daily basis, this one actually made it to one of his few, precious brain cells.

"Oh, okay, then."

I thought I saw Edward look in my direction, but I ignored him and payed attention to Mr. Banner.

"Bella?"

"Cullen?" I mimicked the slightly mocking/curious edge I heard in Edward's voice. "You're speaking to me again?"

"No, not really. I just wanted to tell you that we shouldn't be friends."

"Oh, really? I didn't know that about a month of complete silence and treating me like a pariah automatically made us _best buds_."

"It's better that we weren't friends, okay?"

"Oh, sure, say that now, after I've been saved from a van."

"What are you saying?" Edward's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe, instead of acting rudely to me for fun, you should've let that van squish me. At least then there would be no regret."

"I regret... saving you?"

"Oh, sure you do. I see it in your eyes every rare time we look at each other. You keep the rest of your family away from me. You just wish I were dead."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, well!"

We glared at each other, and then Edward turned his gaze away.

At the end of class, Eric tried to ask me to the dance as well. I only had to repeat half of my conversation with Mike for him to get it. Wow, Mike was so pitiful, now that I think about it.

Gym was horrible. Mike sort of held a grudge, and let all the balls in volleyball go in my direction. Like I said, horrible.

Then there was the parking lot scene. I was about to pull out, but Cullen was already one step ahead of me. He stopped right before me and waited. The rest of the Cullens seemed to be taunting me with the slow speed they were walking at. Tyler took this time to make a move.

"Bella!" he called from outside my window.

"Sorry, Tyler, as you can see, Cullen's the road block, here."

"I can see that, but I was wondering, are you going to Seattle on the day of the dance?"

"Yeah, why?"

Tyler suddenly looked sheepish.

"I was just thinking that... maybe... you were letting the other guys down easy."

I fought the urge to growl at him.

"Um, Tyler, no. I'm really going to Seattle that weekend."

"Oh, no, it's okay. I still get to take you to prom!" Tyler said half-heartedly. He walked off before I could say something, and just when I undid my seatbelt to chase after him and yell some form of a bad word at him, Cullen moved again. And I could swear I caught laughter in his eyes through the rear-view mirror.

Oh, if only I could demolish that car... but I couldn't. Too many witnesses.

At home, Charlie asked me about the dance. I changed his mind about it when I said I was going shopping instead.

In the morning, I bumped into Edward- again. Actually, he bumped into me.

Bumping into him was probably the worst thing to do. I quickly dropped my keys when my wings tried breaking out of my jacket. While Edward was momentarily distracted with picking up my keys, I calmed myself down.

"Bella," he said calmly.

"Oh, it's confusing Edward," I rolled my eyes. I snatched my keys, but when I tried to pull my arm back, he grabbed my wrist.

"Hey!" I yelled in protest.

"You know that day of the dance?" he asked. It was so quick, I could swear it was one word.

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered. Edward's eyebrows came together.

"I was going to offer you a ride to Seattle that day. I don't like dances, either."

I froze in my tracks. I stared at him in shock. Was Edward Cullen, a vampire and my immortal enemy, asking me out?

"What?"

"Do you need a ride? I don't really mind driving you, and it'll save gas and the environment."

"Excuse me, but my truck runs fine-"

"Just tell me yes or no."

"Honestly Edward, you confuse the hell out of me. You hate me one day, then another you're suddenly interested, and then you save me, you treat me like I'm nobody, you tell me you don't want to be friends, and now you're asking me out?"

"'Asking you out' is such a generic term. I think I'm actually asking if you want a ride to Seattle."

"A ride to Seattle and back requires us to be together at all time so you don't drive off without me. Trust me, you're asking me out."

"Do you want it or not?"

"Fine, I'll take it! Sheesh!"

Edward smiled briefly, but then said, "But seriously, you should stay away from me."

What a confusing vampire!

**_AN: Hello, random people of Earth!_**

**_For those of you who read my other fanfictions, and, more importantly, the Imprint Series, I have created some playlists. The link is on my profile. It took me a while to find the right songs to put where, but I got it!_**


	6. Blood Type

**__****Chapter 5**

Things began to get stranger and stranger. Mike wasn't his usual annoying self today. He didn't actually talk to me. Instead, he talked through Eric to me about the weather report he watched last night. It was supposed to be sunny tomorrow. He was planning a beach party, and wanted me to come along, too.

In English, Alice and I were talking about the book we were supposed to read today.

"Trust me, Bella, it's not a very good book," Alice warned. "You won't like it."

"Wanna bet?"

"Never bet against a psychic, but okay! I wager one hundred."

I gulped. I didn't have that kind of money on me!

"Um, Alice-"

"I know you don't have money, silly. If you win, you get a hundred. If I win, I'm giving you a makeover."

I really hope I win, then.

"Deal," I said, more confident than I felt. Alice smirked and shook my hand.

...

At lunch I snuck a quick glance at the Cullen table. Alice was telling Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie all about the bet, minus a few details, I guessed. I felt a twinge of sadness when I noticed who was missing. I walked with Jess to her table, carrying noting but a lemonade bottle. I took a swig and looked at the nutrition facts, uninterested. I shrugged when Mike asked if I was going to the beach with them.

"Edward Cullen is watching you," Angela whispered to me. I looked up. Edward? I thought he was gone! Even my wings perked at the news that he was still here.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He's at the empty table on the right," Ang supplied. I looked over, and sure enough, Edward was sitting there, his expression amused. He was watching me closely, like I was some soap opera he couldn't miss. When he caught my eye, he raised a hand and motioned for me to come over. I stood up at the same time as Lauren, who was also staring at Edward.

"Sit down, Swan. He was looking at me," she sniffed. I scoffed.

"Right. He was so caught up in your eyes that he forgot to motion until now," I growled, getting out of my seat and walking over, my lemonade in hand. Lauren followed me as well.

Soon, we were in front of Edward, Lauren giving him a coy look, me glaring at her. Edward seemed even more amused, but he made a confused expression and looked at Lauren.

"Hi, Edward. I'm sorry this confused..." Lauren looked over me in disdain, "...idiot is here with me, but I assure you I can get rid of her."

I rolled my eyes and sat down.

"I'm sorry Lauren, but I believe that if you're talking about yourself, then by all means, go ahead. But I meant for Bella to sit with me today," Edward said in his polite voice. I stopped myself before I could swoon. Damn vampire allure.

Lauren looked from me to him.

"Fine. But give me a call when you want to be with a real girl," she hinted, walking away.

"'Real'? Please, if she were any more plastic, I would've thought she were a mannequin," I grumbled. Edward snickered. "This is new."

"Well..." Edward frowned and looked down. "I got tired of having to stay away from you, so I quit. Besides, if I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."

"You honestly believe that? You believe in Hell?"

Edward frowned. Clearly, he had not meant for me to get that.

"Yes, I do. And... I think your friends aren't happy with my stealing you."

"I think they can survive without me," I said smugly.

"I might not give you back," he half-warned, half-teased. I grinned.

"Oh, Lord, save me," I teased back.

"I don't scare you?"

"No. Why? Should I always be scared of a pale-skinned prude?"

Edward winced.

"I guess I deserve that," he said gruffly.

"You're honestly not that scary. I've seen scarier. _Way_ scarier. So... does my sitting here mean we're friends?"

"We can try, but I have to warn you, I'm not a good friend for you."

"Worry about your own health," I mumbled.

"I'm serious! A _smart_ person would stay away from me."

"I see you made the subject of my intellect clear," I snarled.

"I'm sorry!" Edward raised up his hands in apology. "But it's true."

"Don't you think you have this backwards? I can be a threat to _you_, you know."

"You're no threat to me unless you get somebody to believe that ridiculous story of me suddenly appearing from across the parking lot."

I felt like muttering, "Think again," but decided against it. Vampires can have quite a temper.

"You can't tell me what I can or cannot believe," I growled.

"No, I can't. But I can tell you what's better for you to believe."

"You know I won't listen."

"No, you probably won't."

Edward smiled and looked over.

"Will your friends try to kill me for making you mad?"

"Why do they care? Half of them want gossip or to get in my pants."

Edward smirked, but I saw a bit of rage in his eyes.

"Angela's worried. She thinks I'm not treating you respectfully," he informed me.

"She's a nice girl," I offered.

"Yes, very."

Edward looked at me. I looked down, twirling my lemonade bottle in my hands.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, resting his head in his hand.

"I'm thinking you must be very bored, having me here. I'm also thinking that you may not be as bad as I originally thought."

"Well, I'm not bored," he laughed. "And you're wrong. I'm dangerous. More so than you probably thought before."

"Well so am I," I argued. "It's a small world, ain't it?"

Edward looked surprised at my outburst, but not my statement.

"You're not as bad as me. I'm no superhero. You should be glad I had the decency to save you the other day."

"I don't belive you're bad. You just didn't do good things in your past. Trust me, I know some bad people."

"I guess I'll give you that," he sighed. "Why are you so hard to read?"

"I don't know. Why are you tryiing so hard to read me?" I asked, looking down. Never mind the blush, Edward. Pay attention to my impossible-to-read mind...

"Because I've read everyone except you. I find it very... frustrating."

"Well, I can't see why I can't be equal. You're so cryptic, you make little remarks that keep me up at night wondering, you take interest in me one day, and then there's a glass wall between us, and you won't at least _try_ to explain yourself when you promised. I find that very frustrating, indeed!"

"I can see you're angry with me, and I understand. But... It's not safe for you... If you knew what I'm going through. _I_ may not do anything, but there's others that may say differently."

"Then why does Alice treat me like I'm any other girl, huh? Why must I- and you- always be different? Why am _I_ the unique one?"

"I don't know."

Edward looked down at my lemonade bottle with a slight curiosity.

"You weren't hungry?" he asked randomly.

"I didn't feel hungry. Do I have to ask about you?"

He gave me a lopsided grin that made my insides turn to goo and stole my bottle cap.

"No, I guess you don't."

"Can I ask for something?"

"That depends. What is it?"

"If you're going to ignore, me, can you politely warn me, so I don't get my hopes up? I don't want to seem desperate or anything. I just want to make sure I'm not bothering you or anything."

Edward smirked but readily agreed. I looked around.

"Everybody's leaving," I acknowledged. "It's time for class, we're gonna be late."

"I'm ditching," he said, playing with my bottle cap. I sighed.

"Well, I have to go. I don't want to be late."

"Go ahead," he murmured. I ran to class.

Okay, I think I upped my weirdness factor a little bit more. I'm supposed to _kill_ vampires, but why do I feel so dormant around Edward? It made no sense.

And I'm... blushing. WHY AM I BLUSHING?

I ran past Jasper and Alice. Jasper gave me a startled look and I began to feel peaceful again. Oh. He must've felt my ferocity.

I skidded around a corner and headed down, reaching the doorframe and tripping just as the bell rang. The class snickered.

"All right, enough, class," Mr. Banner scolded them. "Are you all right, Bella?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

There was a lingering scent in the room. It was faint, probably because the classroom has been empty during lunch. But the faint scent managed to turn my stomach. It smelled painfully familiar. I didn't feel so hot any more.

Mr. Banner opened a box that was on his desk. He snapped on gloves and took out a ton of objects.

"Today we are going to be blood typing," he announced.

_Blood! That's why the scent was familiar!_

He demonstrated on Mike, pricking his pinger until a drop of the horrid liquid was visible to everyone. The scent suddenly grew stronger from just a tiny drop. I felt like I was going to black out. Mr. Banner handed all of us kits. Soon, the air grew thick with the overwhelming scent. I knew I was going to black out soon from the smell. I dropped my head to the table.

"Bella! What's wrong?" Mr. Banner asked. He grabbed my shoulder. His hands reeked of blood. I winced. I was being brought back to Italy.

_The needle pricked my shoulder. I smelled something in the room... Something off. It smelled like rust and salt. It made my head swim. I couldn't see straight._

_I fell to the ground._

I opened my eyes again and found myself outside, lying on the cold pavement.

"Bella? Is she okay?" I heard somebody ask. Oh, God, no... I don't want to be near a vampire now! Not after that horrible memory-!

"She fainted in Biology. She was mumbling something about familiar..." Mike's voice explained. Oh,___ that's _why I'm here. But why am I on the ground?

"Why is she lying here?" Edward asked. "Bella, are you okay?"

"Go away," I mumbled.

"She muttered something about the cold. I assumed she wanted to cool down. She has a bit of a fever," Mike explained to Edward. Edward immediately put his freezing hand on my forehead. That made me snap.

"No-!" I gasped, smacking his hand away. Edward stiffened. "Oh."

"Are you okay?" Edward asked. "I'll take it from here, Mike."

Mike protested, but earned a glare from both of us that turned him around. Edward lifted me up. My wings began to come out. I strained to hold them back.

"You're shoulders are tense," Edward acknowledged. He shifted his arm, nicking one of my wings. It hurt. I gasped.

"Okay, put me down," I seethed. My wing throbbed. I think he bent it downward...

"Sorry, no can do," he teased.

"Then don't move so much. I feel sick already."

"So you faint at the sight of blood," Edward changed the subject.

"No, I don't," I growled. He was crossing dangerous territory...

"You don't?"

"I faint at the _smell_ of blood. Especially since it reminds me of the men that attacked me in Italy."

"Oh. Humans can't smell blood," he realized. Great Edward. If you're going to say _human_, why not yell out, "I'm a bloodsucking vampire" while you're at it?

"I can. It smells like rust and salt, and it makes me extremely dizzy."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I fainted slightly when those men attacked me. I was conscious enough to fool them into thinking I was completely unconscious. When they dropped me, I got up and fled."

Edward growled softly.

"Thanks," I said as he set me down in the nurse's office.

"Oh, dear, what happened to Bella?" Mrs. Cope asked. The nurse came in and took my temperature.

"She fainted during the blood typing," Edward explained.

"There's always someone who feels weak..."

Edward fought back a chuckle.

Mike came in again, towing in another boy from class. He saw me and smiled slightly. Edward rolled his eyes at him. Then Mike saw Edward, and the smile vanished. Edward's smile was suddenly wiped off his face.

"Bella, get out. Now," he warned. Oh, no, he isn't gonna go crazy over bloodlust, is he? I scrambled out of the door. Edward was close by, following me out.

"You listened," he realized, surprise clear on his face.

"I saw it on your face that there was blood. I decided not to fight against it."

"That is truly amazing," he remarked.

"Thanks. I'm here all year."

He smiled. Mike appeared.

"Hey, Bella, I see you're feeling better. Want to go back?"

"No, I'll end up coming back over here."

"True. I guess I'll see you in PE..." he left.

"Great, I have gym next," I groaned.

"Here, I'll sneak you out," Edward offered. "Sit down and look faint."

Well, that wasn't a problem. I found a wisp of the smell of blood wafting from the nurse's door. I blanched and sat down, trying not to faint again.

"Mrs. Cope, Bella isn't feeling well. I'm going to have to take her home," I heard Edward say from the front desk.

"Oh, do you need a pass, too, Edward?"

"No, I'm sure Mrs. Goff won't mind," he said. He took my hand and we were out the door.

"You're warmer. Did you smell more blood?" he asked softly when we were outside in the cool air.

"Yeah. I tried not to faint. It was horrible."

"Sorry."

"Well, thanks, Edward," I sighed, heading for my truck.

"Wait," he said, gripping my wrist. "I'll drive you."

"My truck-" I protested.

"Alice will drive it. I can't let you drive when you're feeling weak."

"I can drive fine, now that I feel better," I growled.

"Allow me to drive you, please?" he asked. I stiffened.

Maybe it was in my nature to fight, because my body said run when my mind said, "Oh, hell with it."

"Fine," I grumbled, slipping into the passenger's seat of the Volvo. Edward sat in the driver's seat and we were gone.

"I heard Mike say something about a beach party. I heard the weather report was sunny this Saturday," Edward said.

"Oh. Right. Wanna come?" I asked lightly.

Edward smirked at my question, then frowned.

"What beach is it?" he asked.

"Um, I think Mike said something about La Push, why?"

"I really don't like that beach. Sorry, Bella."

"Oh. No, that's okay, I guess."

I was obviously doing very bad at hiding my disappointment, because Edward smiled sadly.

"I guess I should've guessed, though," I muttered. It was sunny that day, anyway. They can't go out. I closed my eyes and listened to the faint music coming from his speakers. My eyes shot open.

"Clair de Lune?" I gasped. I heard that song all the time from Italy. Sometimes, when I felt lonely, I'd listen to the music as my comfort. Clair de Lune was my favorite.

"You know Debussy?" he asked.

"I heard it almost all the time in Italy. Sometimes, it was my sole comfort..."

"You're adopted, too," Edward acknowledged sadly.

"I never even knew my parents. I guess, in some ways, I'm the lucky one here. I don't have anybody to mourn over, but to wonder _who_ I belonged to. I guess I'm kind of glad Charlie took me in. He's such a fatherly figure I can't help but think of him as my dad."

Edward listened to my rant with sad eyes.

"How old are you, Bella?" he asked.

Oh, a few months... "Seventeen."

"You don't act like you're seventeen. You could be an adult."

"Well, how old are _you_?" I asked, defiant. My guess was probably a few decades.

"Seventeen," he responded automatically.

"You don't act like a junior, you know."

Edward was silent again.

"Tell me something," I blurted out. Edward turned his head to me.

"Yes?"

"The Cullens adopted you?"

"Yes."

"What happened? With your original family, I mean."

"I've told you before, they died of disease when I was seven," he answered.

"I know, sorry. I just wanted to know about how you were raised before the Cullens. I mean, you couldn't have been a pompous brick-head around your real mom," I teased.

"Oh, is that how you see me?" Edward laughed. He sobered quickly. "I don't honestly remember. I only remember Dr. Carlisle taking me in, and seeing Esme's face for the first time."

"You love them."

"Of course. I've never met two more comforting people."

"What about your brothers and sisters?"

"They'll think I'm being an ass if I don't go back to pick them up," he answered, looking at the clock. I looked outside. How long have we been parked in the driveway?

"Well, bye, then," I mumbled.

"Bella?" Edward asked before I was completely out of the car.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Well, don't take this personally, but... Don't fall in the ocean or anything, okay?"

I gritted my teeth and slammed the door.

Stupid vampire.

...

Late that night, I snuck out of the house and spread my wings. It felt weird, having them out after so long. My wing bones felt tight, like I needed to stretch. I took off flying.

Tonight was different. The air was mildly warmer, and the wind was faint. Tomorrow will definitely be a sunny day. I was reaching the Goat Rocks Wilderness, staying high off the ground in case any predators would be lurking nearby. My wings lifted me higher than I intended. My instincts were telling me it wasn't safe down there at all.

My hearing tripled. My advanced sight caught a glimpse of movement. I watched.

It was Edward and Emmett! What were they doing out here?

There were two grizzlies fighting, about half a mile in Edward and Emmett's directions. I almost laughed. I could imagine those bears trying to fight off the two vampires...

Edward and Emmett reached the bears. Emmett roared, knocking the biggest one away. Edward attacked the other. I gasped. They were killing the bears!

Now I got it. Flying away, back to Forks, I finally got it. The Cullens had different eye colors because their eating style was different. They drank from animals, not humans. I breathed a sigh of relief. So maybe I could trust Dr. Cullen now.

Edward wasn't much of a threat. Neither was his family. I didn't have to kill them, because they couldn't slip up.

Thank God.

**_AN: I'm so sorry it took me more than a MONTH to update! I had a bit of a problem during the lunch scene, when Bella was talking to Edward. About half of it in Twilight was talking about Bella's "theories"! And this Bella already knows about vampires, so that wouldn't work. :P_**


	7. Author's Note: I'm Sorry!

**_Author's Note: I'M SORRY!_**

**_I found that I spend so much time writing my Inuyasha fanfics and updating another fanfiction with Noel that I don't have time to update these anymore! I know it's unfair, but all my ongoing stories are going to be canceled. I'm sorry for those of you who looked forward to reading this. I'm just super busy with high school, moving, trying to update, staying updated with my sources (the books), and more or less breaking up with a boy I always considered to be more than a friend but a little bit less than a boyfriend. This is a good story idea though, and if anybody wants to take it over, by all means, go ahead. Send me a message telling me you are, though, because I'd like to see what you come up with._**

**_I'm sorry again,_**

**_mrsnessieblack_**


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